The present invention relates to heating systems and more particularly to a novel portable heat distribution system for use in or out of doors and especially in cold climates or regions as a means for providing heat and warmth to a large group of people engaged in indoor or outdoor activities.
There are many activities which, although they may be performed quite comfortably during mild or even slightly cold climatic conditions, become quite uncomfortable and even distasteful when undertaken during severe climatic conditions, such as, for example, severe cold. Many activities are performed out of doors and, in fact, regardless of the prevailing weather conditions. For example, outdoor sports such as football, hockey, soccer and the like are quite frequently performed during the late fall, winter and early spring where climatic conditions and most particularly temperature levels are very severe, causing the players, as well as support personnel such as managers, coaches, referees, cheer-leaders and the like, a significant amount of discomfort and possibly even conditions bordering upon frostbite or chilblain, for example. No suitable outdoor equipment exists which is both safe and capable of at least partially warming or reducing the chill experienced by persons who find it necessary to be out of doors for long periods of time to engage in their normal activities. Such activities are not confined to sports or recreation and, in fact, many people find it necessary to be out of doors or in poorly heated or unheated areas in connection with their work responsibilities such as outdoor construction, loading docks and unheated indoor areas, for example. The portable heaters presently available are not capable of warming more than two or three persons at the same time, and the heat generated by such units is more than sufficient to burn the body if the equipment is not used with extreme care.
The unit of the present invention may be used indoors as well as outdoors providing adequate ventilation is supplied. Indoor use may consist of warming groups of people in a shelter, providing a warming area on unheated loading docks, warming bleachers, etc. The unit may also be used to cure freshly poured concrete by distributing the heat more evenly over larger areas.